Mahmoud Abdalla
Professor Emeritus
- Tel
- (802) 443-5230
- mabdalla@middlebury.edu
Dr. Mahmoud Abdalla is a professor emeritus and former Coordinator of the Arabic Studies Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) since 2010. He was also the Director of the Middlebury College Arabic Summer School. Prior to joining MIIS, Professor Abdalla taught and supervised undergraduate and graduate programs at various universities in Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. He also has acted as an external reviewer and consultant for numerous academic institutions in the United States and abroad. He was a member of a team of professionals, which modified the ACTFL Arabic proficiency guidelines and developed the ACTFL Arabic proficiency writing examination. At MIIS, Professor Abdalla designed and taught a variety of courses and modules, which adopt the content-based instruction approach. He was recently awarded the Lilian Stroebe Centennial Recognition Medal from Middlebury College.
Professor Abdalla is the editor of Teaching Arabic in the Global World and an author of several articles on Arabic linguistics and teaching pedagogy. He also appeared in a number of Arab and US media outlets to discuss issues on contemporary Arab culture and Middle East events. These include The New Yorker, KSCO Radio, and the Egyptian Satellite Television.
Courses Taught
ARBC 6631
Arab Migration to the West
Course Description
Terms Taught
ARLA 8264
Refugees/Frn Labor Arab World
Course Description
Refugees and Foreign Labor in the Arab World
Terms Taught
ARLA 8292
ArabRelationw/IndianSub-Cont
Course Description
Arab Relation with the Indian Sub-Continent
Terms Taught
ARLA 8306
Dvlpmnt-North&Sub-SahranAfrica
Course Description
Development in North and Sub-Saharan Africa
This course will provide an overview about the development in the African continent with the focus on North Africa and the Sub-Saharan region. It will discuss the continent’s relations with Arab countries specially Egypt and the Maghrib. The social changes, economic growth, foreign investment, and the international support will be major topics to be discussed in this course. Students will also discuss the impact of the local and national politics on the stability and development in these African countries. The course is conducted entirely in Arabic using authentic materials from Arabic books, newspapers, magazines, Arab Satellite TV stations, social media, and other academic and professional sources. The class will meet twice weekly via Zoom and Canvas will be the main platform for posting the teaching materials, weekly assignments, and language exercises.
Terms Taught
ARLA 8460
Islam in Central Asia
Course Description
Islam, Cultures and Politics in Central Asia
The course is designed to help students learn about the history of Islam in Central Asia and the role it plays in its society. It will discuss the political situations in the countries of Central Asia before the collapse of the Soviet Union and their independence and integration in the international community. It will also discuss their relations with the neighboring countries such as Afghanistan, China, Iran, and Russia as well as the role Turkey plays in this region. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the minorities, ethnic groups, and the rich culture of this important region. The course is conducted entirely in Arabic using authentic materials from Arabic books, periodicals, journals, newspapers, magazines, Arab Satellite TV stations, social media, and other academic and professional sources. The class will meet once a week via Zoom and Canvas will be the main platform for posting the teaching materials, weekly assignments, and language exercises.
Terms Taught
Areas of Interest
Professor Abdalla’s research interests include second language acquisition, second language pedagogy, and teacher education. He serves as a reviewer for prominent research journals such as MLA, ANNALS, and Al-Arabiyya. He also has extensive experience in building intensive and immersive study abroad programs as well as developing curriculum for a wide range of Arabic language and cultural studies programs. He has served as a member of the Executive Boards of American Association of Teachers of Arabic and Center for Arabic Study Abroad. Professor Abdalla has also been a guest speaker at many national and international conferences and has led numerous teacher training workshops and seminars.
Academic Degrees
- PhD in Applied Linguistics, University of Edinburgh, UK
- MA in Applied Linguistics, Essex University, UK
- BA in Education, Cairo University, Egypt
Professor Abdalla has been teaching at the Institute since 2010.